Page 82 of Twisted Games of Revenge

His first love, that Valentina painted. Oh God no. My stomach rolls. She was just one of his little spies, she didn’t love him. She couldn’t have. My body goes all clammy, the room suddenly feeling like a sauna. But my smile toward him remains peachy. If this is a test, I will not fail and give myself away.

“I remember her dearly,” agrees the commissioner.

Enzo’s head drops, a pain washing over him I don’t believe. “Sadly, this life wasn’t for her. We both still miss her every day. Valentina never did quite get over her taking her own life. She blamed herself for years, but you can’t help them all. She had issues with her mental health, and even though we loved her dearly, it wasn’t enough. You know what that feels like, don’tyou, Son.” His attention moves to Geovani, and I know what he’s implying; the same thing happened to his wife and his mother. But my ma didn’t kill herself. He fucking did it. “It’s why Valentina started helping other young women much like yourself, Vivian, to make sure we can save them.”

Geovani’s clenched jaw, and the rapid, almost imperceptible twitch in his eye gives away his suppressed anger. The last thing he wants to discuss is Bianca or his poor mother. He doesn't respond, his cold eyes fixed ahead as he pushes past, leaving a heavy silence in his wake. I want to go after him and make sure he’s okay, but right now, we all need me to keep up my act more.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Enzo,” I offer, leaving his room with Alessandro.

Alex drops his head closer, his lips brushing my ear lobe. “I’m so sorry, princess, I didn’t know,” he says in a low voice.

I squeeze his hand a little tighter, trying my best to keep my shit together. It’s not really new information. Marco and I had assumed he might have been having some sort of affair with my mother in the years she worked for him. But to have an image of the three of them together was way more confronting than I was prepared for. Also, what the fuck that Valentina was the one painting my mother. It does explain why they had that other painting of her they were bidding on at the auction to try and get to Harley. But not why I had seen it before.

When we re-enter the great hall, the delicious aroma of baked food travels through the air, and I notice the staff are bringing plates of cloche-covered food to the grand table. I spot Julia twirling a strand of her hair as she stands way too close to Ricky, and Maddox is holding up Valentina. She looks trashed, even more than she normally does at her events.

“Our meal is ready,” Enzo announces to the others.

Maddox helps a sloppy Valentina to the table. Enzo takes the seat at the head of the table. Maddox is beside him, thenAlessandro and me and Geovani. Opposite us is Ricky, Julia, then Walt. Valentina takes the other end of the table with a wobble into her chair as she sits. She really is messy tonight. Maybe all the stress Enzo is under is getting to her as well.

Enzo taps his knife to his glass, a wide grin crossing his face. “A toast to family,” he announces.

“To the Morettis,” the police commissioner adds, sucking up to Enzo’s ass. The two of them together are sickening.

I just want to eat then get the fuck out of this place.

Chapter 35

I set my knifeand fork on my plate, having finished my meal. The way the commissioner is watching me makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable after our conversation upstairs. He’s been doing it all evening, like he knows my dirty little secrets and it’s giving him a hard-on. I can’t stand it a second longer, I need a break. “Think I need some fresh air,” I announce.

“I’ll show you around the grounds,” Ricky offers a little too quickly. But from the look on his face, I can see Julia’s swooning over him is starting to really grind on him as well. I know it’s getting to me. Does she have her hand on his lap? She better not if she wants to keep it. What is her fucking situation? Her husband is sitting just to the other side of her, he must be able to see her over-the-top flirtations.

“I need a smoke, I’ll come,” Maddox agrees, catching up with us.

I glance behind me and see Geovani and Alex are leaving with us as well. They are probably all just as desperate to get out of here. This evening has been strange to say the least.

When we get outside, I keep walking until we’re as far away from the house as possible, standing in the middle of a maze of beautiful rose hedges. I pace back and forth, trying to get my erratic breathing under control. I kept my shit together for as long as I possibly could. But now, I need to get this out.

“Baby doll, what’s going on?” Ricky asks, trying to take my hand to stop me from pacing.

“Everything. There is some fucked-up shit going on tonight. Enzo knows who I am, I’m sure of it.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Alessandro says, catching us up. “That painting has always been there. For as long as I can remember, anyway, but I didn’t realize my mother painted it until Enzo said so tonight. I also had no idea who the other woman was in it.”

I flick my attention to him. “Are you serious? Gross,” I whimper. Disgusted but also kind of glad it wasn’t planted there just for me to find. All dinner I have been waiting for him to come and rip my wig off and tell me he knew who I was all along.

“Viv’s right,” Geovani says. “Something odd is going on. He’s trying to rattle all of us tonight, playing on our insecurities. Otherwise, why would he bring up my wife and mother?”

“Valentina is drunk off her nut as well. I have never seen her this trashed before,” Ricky agrees. “And Julia is out of control. She offered to suck my cock right there at the bar in front of Valentina.”

Maddox nods, agreeing.

And my eyes go wide. Jesus. “Are they all just losing their shit because they know what the town is saying about Enzo, or is he on to us?”

“We need to get Viv out of here,” Geovani says, his face turning serious.

I turn back to Alessandro. “What happened to you when we made it to your room? You guys left me with the two old creepssaying shit to me about what I’m doing with all of you. It was really weird, and there are some mental images I won’t be able to scrub from my brain.”

His haunted eyes come to mine. “I’m sorry, princess. I think I was in shock. There was a photo on my bedside table that was never there when I was growing up. But I knew the photo immediately, and I remember the day as well because it was so traumatic. My parents had one of their garden parties, and this one had loads of kids at it. That photo was taken right out here on the lawn.”

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